Political structure

Based on English common law and the 1977 union and 1985 Zanzibar constitutions, as amended

National legislature

National Assembly, comprising 295 members (232 directly elected on the mainland; five delegates from the Zanzibar parliament; the remainder appointed); Zanzibar's House of Representatives (59 members, including nine women appointees) legislates on internal matters

National elections

Mainland legislative and presidential elections were last held in October 2015, with the next election scheduled for 2020. Zanzibar presidency and House of Representatives elections were held in October 2015, but subsequently annulled, with a rerun held in March 2016